Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 4: Digital Era (1960s)
1963
Kenneth C. Knowlton develops BEFLIX
Knowlton, a pioneer of computer art and animation, at Bell Labs developed BEFLIX, the first general-purpose programming language for computer animation.
BEFLIX is short for “Bell Flicks” and was written in macro FAP, the Fortran Assembly Program.
BEFLIX was used by artists, including Stan Vanderbeek to make some of the earliest experimental, abstract films in collaboration with Knowlton.
Image is copyrighted by Ken and courtesy of The Anne and Michael Spalter Digital Art Collection.
Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random, fact-checked September 2026.
Sources
People
Movements
computer animation, computer art
Filed under
- Ideas
- collaboration
- Technologies
- BEFLIX, computer animation, computer art, Fortran, Fortran Assembly Program, programming
- People
- Ken Knowlton, Stan VanDerBeek
- Organisations
- Bell Labs
Related moments
- 1957 · John Backus Releases FORTRAN
- 1965 · Computer-Produced Movies by Kenneth C. Knowlton
- 1966 · Poemfields by Stan VanDerBeek
Echoes across time
- 1981 · Computer Culture 81, Ontario College of Art
- 1925 · Bell Labs Founded
- 1804 · Joseph-Marie Jacquard Invents the Jacquard Loom
Le Random editorials
Le Random podcast
- Timeline Ch 4—Digital Era Pt I (1960s) with Dr A Michael Noll — listen with transcript on Le Random (07 Sep 2023, 60 min). Chapter 4’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 4—Digital Era Pt II (1960s) with Michael Spalter — listen with transcript on Le Random (21 Sep 2023, 77 min). Chapter 4’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify